Two more arrests made connected to January murder

Authorities on Wednesday night arrested a Henderson man and charged him with first-degree murder in the Jan. 1 shooting death of 41-year-old Royvitt Lawedy Fortson in Warren County.

William H. Hunter, 24, of 511 Spring Court, received a no-bond detention order pending a hearing in Warren County District Court scheduled for Feb. 20, according to Warren County Sheriff Johnny Williams. He is the third person arrested in connection to Fortson’s death.

Arrested in Jacksonville within the past week was Corey Daye-Henderson, 21, of 3006 Derby Run Road, Jacksonville, on a charge of being an accessory after a felony for his role in Fortson’s death.

On Jan. 2, Lenita Siplen Fortson, 38, also of 511 Spring Court, Henderson, was detained for questioning. She was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Lenita Forston died Jan. 31, five days after being released from custody and entering WakeMed Hospital. She was noted in court documents of having medicals conditions related to obesity and hypertension.

Williams said a dynamic-entry service of a search warrant at 511 Spring Court preceded the arrest of Hunter, with Warren deputies, officers with the Henderson Police Department and the State Bureau of Investigation coordinating the operation.

Christopher Ball, a lieutenant with Henderson police, confirmed a SWAT team spearheaded the operation at about 7:30 p.m. in conjunction with Warren County deputies and was “related to an ongoing criminal investigation.”

Williams said Daye-Henderson provided criminal assistance to Lenita Fortson after the shooting at a BP station off exit 229 of Interstate 85.

“He was in the vehicle at the time we detained her,” Williams said.

Daye-Henderson does not have a court date scheduled yet, but he has arrived to Warren County from Jacksonville.
“He is in our jail,” Williams said.